The University of Texas at Tyler Director of Athletics Dr. Howard Patterson announced the hiring of Louis Wilson as the fourth head coach in Patriot Men’s Basketball history Tuesday afternoon.
Wilson will formally be introduced at a press conference next Wednesday (April 10) at 2 p.m. in the UT Tyler University Center Theater.
“From the beginning of the search process, Louis Wilson stood out as someone with an incredible amount of experience in college basketball,” Patterson said. “He has proven he can develop players at the NCAA Division I level and has had great success at the NCAA Division II level against teams in the South Central Region. I am excited to welcome Louis and his family to our UT Tyler community and look forward to him leading the Patriot Men’s Basketball Program into the NCAA Division II.”
Wilson comes to UT Tyler after serving as Associate Head Coach for Grand Canyon University last season. The Lopes reached 20 wins for the fourth-consecutive season with a 20-14 mark and fell one game shy of reaching the NCAA Division I Tournament with an appearance in the Western Athletic Conference Championship game.
“My family and I are extremely excited to join the UT Tyler community and lead the men’s basketball program,” Wilson said. “I’d like to thank President Tidwell and Dr. Patterson for their confidence in me to elevate this program to the next level. The Lone Star Conference is arguably the best basketball league in the NCAA Division II, and I look forward to seeing our young men succeed on the court and in the classroom.”
Prior to his time at GCU, Wilson spent three seasons as an assistant at Utah State University where he helped develop the 2017 Mountain West Conference Freshman of the Year and two of the top-10 career three-point shooters in program history.
Serving as the head coach for NCAA Division II Adams State University between 2010 and 2015, Wilson guided the Grizzlies to a 95-46 record in five seasons. He took three teams to the NCAA Division II Tournament with some of the top two-way teams in the country. The Grizzlies were consistently ranked in the top-20 in scoring and led the NCAA Division II in steals and opponent turnovers in 2011-12.
Wilson also has served as an assistant coach at California State Northridge (2006-10), where he finished as the associate head coach after the Matadors reached the 2009 NCAA Tournament, He began his coaching career assisting at Southern Utah (1992-98) before moving to an assistant coaching position for Idaho State (1998-2006).
As a player, Wilson was an all-state guard and two-time state champion at Anchorage East High School in Alaska before playing for Trenton (Mo.) Junior College and William Jewell College in Liberty, Mo. His 1997-98 NAIA quarterfinals team was inducted into the William Jewell Hall of Fame.
https://uttylerpatriots.com/news/2019/4/2/louis-wilson-named-patriot-mens-basketball-coach.aspx
